Residency Faculty

Anthony Van Alstine OD, MS, FAAO
Residency Supervisor

Dr. Van Alstine serves as the optometry residency supervisor at the WJB Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia, SC. He graduated from the Indiana University School of Optometry as the valedictorian of the OD Class of 2011 and completed an optometric residency at Dorn after graduation. He achieved a Master’s Degree in vision science at Indiana University in 2012 with his research focusing on the quantification of retinal ganglion cell function using the multifocal electroretinogram. Dr. Van Alstine has published in several peer reviewed journals and his research has been presented at national and international meetings. Dr. Van Alstine has a passion for clinical education and holds adjunct faculty status at seven ACOE accredited schools of optometry. He also enjoys lecturing on a wide variety of optometry topics and mentoring residents to present clinical posters at national meetings. He is a fellow in the American Academy of Optometry and currently serves as the president of the South Carolina Chapter of the American Academy of Optometry. He is also a fellow of the Optometric Retina Society and the Scleral Lens Education Society. His greatest joys in life are his wife and four sons. He enjoys spending time with his family, many different outdoor activities, and serving in his local church.

Richard Gardner, OD, FAAO
Optometry Section Supervisor

Dr. Gardner attended Oregon State University and the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. He has worked with the Veterans Administration since the completion of his residency training at the Dorn VA Medical Center.

Dr. Gardner holds adjunct faculty status with multiple programs. He has previously served as the student and resident program supervisor. Dr. Gardner is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, has served as an NBEO examiner and has completed the NBEO's Advanced Competency in Medical Optometry exam. He has had publications accepted in three peer reviewed ophthalmic journals and has presented multiple clinical case posters in conjunction with students and residents.

William J. McGill, OD, FAAO
Staff Optometrist

Dr. McGill graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received his Doctor of Optometry from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. After varied private practice experiences in rural and urban areas of North Carolina, Dr. McGill served as a commissioned officer with the Indian Health Service (IHS). Experiences with the IHS involved full scope primary eye care to the Navajo population, serving as adjunct faculty for optometry students, and lectures to fellow OD’s as well as hospital physicians. He joined the Dorn VAMC in 1994.

Dr. McGill currently serves as Diabetic Teleretinal Liason,and optometry resident and extern attending for Dorn VAMC. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, and has several published works in refereed journals. Dr. McGill has also submitted many posters on ocular disease topics with SECO International. He has lectured to the Columbia area (Midlands) Optometric Society and SC Optometric Summer Conference on various eye care topics. Dr. McGill regularly participates in weekly Grand Rounds eye conferences at Dorn VAMC, lecturing to optometry staff, residents, and students on various eye-related topics. In addition to his clinical and didactic roles, he currently serves as treasurer for the South Carolina Chapter of the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. McGill has twice traveled to Haiti for eye care mission trips.

Dr. Roper serves as the Director of the Low Vision and Specialty Contact Lens clinics at WJB Dorn VAMC. She graduated from Indiana University School of Optometry with both Doctor of Optometry and Masters in Vision Science degrees. She loves to utilize cutting edge and innovative solutions for her low vision patients and she enjoys taking on difficult specialty contact lens fits for patients with complex ocular pathology. She truly finds joy in improving the lives of the veterans she serves and educating the students and residents she works with on a daily basis.

Dr. Roper is adjunct faculty at multiple optometry schools, has published in peer reviewed journals, and has a passion for presenting scientific cases at national meetings.

Michelle E. Brown, OD
Externship Co-Supervisor

Dr. Michelle Brown, an Ohio native, graduated from Youngstown State University with a bachelor’s degree in both biology and chemistry. Before pursuing her optometric career, she completed various research projects focusing on the physiology of the corneal endothelium.

Throughout optometry school at Indiana University, Dr. Brown received many awards including the VSP/AOF Practice Excellence Scholarship, William Feinbloom Low Vision Award, Dr. James D. Hurt Scholarship, Dr. J.O. Hormuth Award, J. Pat Cummings Scholarship, and the Stanley Pearl Scholarship highlighting her excellence in disease management, low vision, and service to the underprivileged.

Dr. Brown furthered her career by completing a residency program at the William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center where she specialized in disease management, specialty contact lenses, low vision, and binocular vision. Dr. Brown has presented multiple posters at the annual American Academy of Optometry meeting. In addition to being a member of the AAO and secretary of the state chapter, Dr. Brown is also a member of the AOA and local SCOPA chapter.

Dr. Brown and her husband Adam live in Columbia, South Carolina where she continues to serve veterans at the WJB Dorn VA hospital and is the co-supervisor of the student externship program.

Sarah R. Wilson, OD
Externship Co-Supervisor

Dr. Wilson is a Florida native and received degrees in English Literature and Vision Science from The Florida State University. Following graduation, she was accepted to Florida State’s PhD program for Literature but declined to pursue optometry.

Dr. Wilson’s experience is varied- in addition to the Veteran’s hospital, she practices several days per month at a refractive surgery center and a local private practice. She is an active member of the regional optometric society and has published at several leading optometric conferences such as AAO and SECO.